Austin Allsup has strong ties to the music industry, a deep love of his art and a pretty cool tie to San Angelo.

When Austin was 17, his father, music legend Tommy Allsup, gave him an acoustic guitar for Christmas. The elder Allsup had been in the music business for years, while the younger Allsup had been singing and writing since his childhood.

The gift hadn't started Austin's love for music, but it helped him move forward with his dream of performing. Today, Austin and his band will share some of his talents at the Penny Pub & Grill.

Austin Allsup doesn't classify his music as one particular genre, but says it's music he and the band like to play and hope people want to listen to.

"I would say we are a roots rock Americana jam band," Allsup said. "We're not your conventional Red Dirt band. We're a band who cares about our music."

After meeting his father as a teenager, Austin formed a friendship with the elder Allsup, saying they bonded over card games.

Austin has ties to San Angelo via former manager Ray Hanusch. Hanusch was hired by Tommy Allsup in the early 2000s to work in a recording studio in Azle that the elder Allsup owned.

"Next thing you know," Austin said, "I'm wanting to record. So Ray called his buddy Mike McClure, who had no idea who I was. That's how I met Mike was through Ray."

Hanusch talked singer/songwriter McClure into meeting Austin, and their friendship started there.

"I started working with Austin in 2003, and we went through a lot of musicians, agents, labels, etc.," Hanusch said.

At their first meeting set up by Hanusch, McClure handed Austin an acoustic guitar and told him to play a song, then invited him to play a live radio show with him.

Since then, Allsup and McClure have collaborated on many projects, including Allsup's latest album, "Sink or Swim."

"We did our third album together and I just played a show with him (McClure), Randy (Rogers) and Stoney (LaRue). We sang and song-swapped." Allsup said.

Over the years, meeting and forming a bond with his father, his mentors and his friends, Austin has come into his own in the music business.

"Austin has matured in his writing and his stage show, and I feel the best is yet to come, " Hanusch said. "Every project has a sound and feel all to its own. He's not your typical Texas artist that throws things to the wall and hopes they stick."